Gareth Ainsworth is hoping that his side can play the spoiler at the top end of the League Two table, as they welcome Grimsby Town to the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides come into the fixture off the back of midweek defeats, but Ainsworth knows that Grimsby will head to ME7 with hopes of rejuvenating their play-off aspirations. The Gills boss praised David Artell for the job he has done with ‘The Mariners’, and expects them to go all out in what will be another difficult test.
Andy Smith was forced off in the defeat to Cheltenham, having broken his nose after being on the end of a high boot, and Ainsworth provided an update on the central defender’s availability for the weekend, as well as other defensive options.
With the season coming to a close, the 52-year-old discussed the potential for the younger players at the Football Club to get their opportunities in first-team fixtures, with the chance to replicate the fine form Harry Waldock has found since breaking into the side.
On the visit of Grimsby Town on Saturday...
They need to win the game. That is what they need to do. They are going to come here all guns blazing, which I don't expect anything less from David Artell. They are a good side that has legs, and they have recruited really well. I expect it to be a tough game, definitely.
It will be a nice day, and I am sure that the Grimsby fans will travel well because they have a lot to play for. We want to make sure that we do the whole league justice in putting out a competitive team to try and beat them.
They have had a good season, Grimsby. I think that some of the parts you would probably put down to some of their individual players, who have done very well this season, and the cup runs they have been on. It is going to be a tough game, I know that.
Injury updates...
[On Andy Smith after suffering a broken nose]- We will have a look at him and see where he is. It is tough. I have had mine broken a few times, and it was something that I have suffered with. I know the pain of that, especially for a centrehalf who is probably going to have to head the ball again.
Conor [Masterson] has played, but he is probably not right up to match speed yet. Robbie [McKenzie] took a whack, Smithy took a big whack. With Shadrach [Ogie] out, and young Logan Dobbs coming back and not really being ready to go yet. There was a big injury for him, so it has been a nightmare this season with that. We will see what we do, but whatever team we put out, I expect to be competitive.
The potential for younger and academy players to feature…
The likes of Harry [Waldock] and his cohort in his age group are trying to impress, trying to stay, and are trying to be the future of the club. Harry is certainly a shining example of that.
I won’t stick them all in just to the detriment of the team because that would be crazy and disrespectful of the teams around us, but they all have a chance to get some minutes. For Harry, it was great to see him back in the squad.
[On Louie Dayal recently making his first team debut]- It was brilliant. He is one for the future, definitely. Louie is coming out of the youth team on his journey, and I am hoping that there will be a good future ahead for Louie.
The final three games of the campaign…
The two games coming up, Grimsby and Barnet, they are big games because they have the play-off connotations in there. Whether Barnet will still be in with a shout by the time we play them, we don’t know. Grimsby, definitely, they are in there. They want to win the game.
Shrewsbury, there is the irony that they are my last club, but I am so glad that they are safe…That will be a great game. Shrewsbury, for all the pantomime villain that I am, I loved my time there; I really did. Hopefully, we can finish on a high.
These next two are really important, not just for us, but for the rest of the league as well.
